PENINSULA ONLINE

Issue 1
Monday, 5 February 2007 

Australia Day honour for Bob Greaves

Well known Peninsula campus identity, Bob Greaves OAM from the Faculty of Education, was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in this year Australia Day Honours for "Service to the community through the provision of therapeutic play activities for children in hospital, and to education".

Bob, who retired last year after close to 40 years of services at the campus, started at the Frankston Teachers' College in 1968. The award recognises his efforts in taking the 'Play program' to the Paediatric Unit at the Frankston Hospital, which has been brightening the lives of sick children since 1981.

Bob has also been recognised for his 45 plus years in the field of education . Bob was the Art teacher at Brighton Beach Primary School from 1960 to 1966 and then spent 18 months at the Melbourne Teachers' College before commencing at the Frankston Teachers' College.

As well as his Play Program, Bob took his highly regarded 'Working with Wood' activity to the Red Hill and Royal Melbourne Shows for 20 years, delighting parents and children alike by giving them a hammer and nails and encouraging their imagination.

Bob says he was often reminded of the impact the program had on young people, when they returned to the activity as adults with their own children and reminisced about their early woodwork experiences

Bob's impact on children, teachers, colleagues and students is evident in the response he received  following his Australia Day honour such as an email from a past student from his Brighton Beach Primary School days "wondering if he was the same Robert Greaves who was my much loved Handwork teacher in the early 60's?".

"I am very humbled that my colleagues and other associates saw fit to prepare the application, which I gather was a very lengthy and time consuming process," Bob said. 

"While the Paediatric Play program was highlighted, I think the wood activity where we touched the lives of thousands of children needs to be stressed too. The whole reason for these activities is to encourage creativity and give children the belief that their ideas have value."

Bob's constant enthusiasm and unwavering commitment to encouraging creativity in children and instilling self belief has never diminished in his years working with children and educating our future teachers.

Business Associates program for 2007

The Faculty of Business and Economics at the Peninsula campus has again developed an insightful and informative Business Associates seminar series for 2007.

The breakfast series, being run in conjunction with the Frankston Business Chamber, the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council and the Frankston City Council, consists of six seminars throughout the year.

Hawthorn Football Club CEO, Mr Ian Robson, will kick off the series on Tuesday, 6 March, discussing 'The Changing Landscape of the Economics of Professional Sport'. The Breakfast will be held at the Peninsula Country Golf Club, Skye Road, Frankston. Cost is $190 for a corporate membership, $170 for an individual membership or $38 per breakfast.

For further information, download the full seminar program and membership form, or email Narelle Krueger.

Peninsula student rides for peace - on one wheel

Sid undertaking some training on the Mornington Peninsula in terrain that most people would find hard to navigate on two wheels let alone one.

Sport and Outdoor Recreation student Siddharth (Sid) Rajan isn't using his summer break for a the usual types of activities uni students might -- he has taken the opportunity to ride his unicylce from Delhi in India to Lahore in Pakistan.

A few years ago Sid decided that one day he would unicycle from Delhi to Pakistan for peace. Following the postponement of the Pole to Pole Expedition he had been training for, he decided to undertake another challenge he had dreamed of, "the ultimate unicycling adventure -- one wheel, one world".

With the support of his family and the intervention of the Indian Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar, and the Pakistani Foreign Minister, Mr Khurshid Kasuri in getting his Visa requirements, Sid undertook his 537 km ride for peace commencing in Delhi on 28 January and finishing  in Lahore on 3 February.

You can read about Sid's adventure at http://ride4peace.blogspot.com/

THRIVE at Peninsula campus

Health, Resilience, Insight, Vitality, Empowerment... Are these your aspirations for 2007?

THRIVE will offer you the opportunity to build strengths in any of these areas, and to do something good for yourself. Book in for all, or some of the eight, one hour lunch time sessions and learn strategies to overcome:

• Procrastination

• To manage stress

• Learn to relax

• Sleep better

• Become more assertive

• Gain greater vitality in life

Become one of the hundreds of Monash Staff, University wide, that are enjoying the benefits of the THRIVE Program.

The THRIVE Program is offered in cycles through-out the year. The first cycle begins on Thursday, February 19^th, 2007.

Contact Helen Kothrakis, Co-ordinator of the THRIVE Program at the Peninsula Campus, on extn 44223 to arrange a brief pre-Program interview.

Orientation Opening Ceremony

Staff are reminded that if they would like to participate in the Peninsula campus opening ceremony procession on Wednesday, 21 February 2007 they need to advise Julie Baxter of their highest qualification, height and head size for caps by 13 February.

The Opening Ceremony will commence at 9.30 am in the George Jenkins Theatre with welcomes from the Academic Director, the Elder Spokesperson from the Boonerwrung Land Council, the Frankston City Mayor and the Student Union president. Following the official proceedings a 10 minute presentation on 'Who to know and where to go' during Orientation will be presented. Morning tea and an indigenous smoking ceremony will also be held.

Staff who wish to participate but have their own academic attire should still register as seats are set up on stage to accommodated those in the procession.

Thank you from Lay Lin Oh

"I would like to thank everyone who was at my farewell morning tea last year and made my last day at work such a special one.  I was so overwhelmed at the time that I forgot to thank you all for the Reebok Exercise Bike, the Harris Scarfe Gift Voucher, the beautiful flower arrangement and the lovely worded card. I love them all and am just over the moon.

Thank you all for your wonderful friendship over the years. All the very best to you all.

Lost necklace

Kaye Waghorne from the Faculty of Business and Economics has lost a necklace. It is a gold chain with an oval blue topaz set in gold. It has great sentimental value. If anyone has happened to pick it up please contact Kaye on extn 44358.